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Towns demand TWW takeover

Lawrence closes on Colonial Lake tract Property purchased for $3.65 million

BY ROB ANTHES

The governments of three suburban towns served by Trenton Water Works are demanding the City of Trenton to sell the water utility, and allege that the city has improperly used suburban ratepayers’ money to balance the city budget.

Those allegations—and more—appear in a motion to intervene filed by the governments of Ewing, Hamilton and Lawrence in Mercer Superior Court July 8 as part of an effort to join a state lawsuit against Trenton and its water utility.

“The right to clean water is a human and constitutional right,” Hamilton Township director of law Elissa Grodd Schragger wrote in a July 8 letter to Mercer Superior Court Judge Robert Lougy. “This is nonnegotiable. It is also clear that Trenton and TWW have repeatedly and egregiously missed benchmarks in fulfilling their obligation to provide safe and clean drinking water for the customers of TWW.” Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora, in a July 10 statement, refuted the claims in the motion, saying his administration has done much in the last two years to right the wayward water utility. Among the accomplishments touted See TWW, Page 8

BY BILL SANSERVINO

Lawrence Township residents have created the online group #BlackInLawrenceNJ for people to share their stories of racial injustice in town. Above is one of the group’s first social media posts on Instagram and Facebook.

LTPS wrestles with issues of race

BY BILL SANSERVINO

As protesters made their voices heard as part of the Black Lives Matter movement across the nation in June and July, the Lawrence Township Public School District found itself dealing with racial unrest within its midst.

Members of the community spoke during the school board’s virtual meetings, stating that they believe the district needs to do a better job dealing with Black students

and hiring a more diverse staff.

In addition, a campaign called #BlackInLawrenceNJ has been created online with the goal of, “sharing the experiences of Black families, students, teachers and visitors in Lawrence.”

One common allegation among those speaking out is that Black students are funneled into remedial education programs and away from honors, gifted and talented and advanced placement classes.

In an effort to address racial

issues, the district has hired consultants to review LTPS’s policies on the hiring of staff, as well as to help identify inequality within the district.

During the June 10 meeting, which was held virtually over Google Meet, superintendent Ross Kasun said that the district had received many comments and questions from the community regarding equity, diversity and its response to racism.

To that end, the district See LTPS, Page 4

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Lawrence Township officially owns the Colonial Lake property. Now comes the process of planning how the property will be improved.

The township closed on the 5.9-acre property on July 17, completing a process that has been more than two and half years in the making.

The tract was purchased from Sheft Associates Inc. for $3.65 million. Funding was provided through several sources, including $1.47 million from the Lawrence Township Open Space, $1.47 in grants from the Mercer County Open Space Assistance Program and $711,133 from the state’s Green Acres Program.

The purchase agreement was structured to allow the township to pay $1 million of the purchase price through two annual payments of $500,000—in July 2021 and July 2022, said a township news release.

By spreading the payments over the next two years, the township can apply for more grant funding in those years for the project and preserve its Open Space Fund for other projects.

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Who cares about my opinion?

BILL SANSERVINO FROM THE EDITOR

this small community there are some with a heart and realize Black people in America face ridiculous cruel injustice.”

I also received a message from the pastor of a church in Ewing: “Your ‘editorial’ note was superb and compelling. In short order, you challenged people of European descent, majorityculture to educate themselves. I simply close by saying Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

This from Lawrence: “I am a Black woman, and I say thank you for your article. It stated many facts about what some Blacks have had to go through in the past.

“To know the Black experience just might help some white people understand where the irrational rage that is displayed through destructive behavior. We just want to be seen and treated just like white people are. We get seen as Black before we are seen as just people.”

These responses helped reinforce that I’m on the right path. Change comes from within.

It was also gratifying to see that I what I wrote touched some people and resonated with them.

I guess I have been wrong in my thinking. In some instances, my opinion can make a difference.

Last month in this space I wrote about how I was learning about the history of Black people in this country, and how it helped me understand and empathize what it means to be a Black person in the United States.

I continue to urge others to do the same, and not just about Black folks.

I think people of all races should take the time to learn about each others’ histories and cultures.

In my 30-plus-year career as a journalist I haven’t expressed my opinion in writing very often. I always saw my job as being an impartial observer limited to reporting the hard facts.

Plus, I believed that no one wanted to hear my opinion. As they say, opinions are like armpits. Everyone has one and everyone else’s stinks. I prefered not to add to the noise.

All that being said, I was happy to receive messages from Black people in all three of the towns where I am community editor in response to what I wrote.

Here’s an email I got from a woman in Plainsboro: “I applaud your candor and I thank you for publishing this article. We often don’t realize others are concerned with the increased racism Contact BILL SANSERVINO: bill@comshown towards Black people. I was munitynews.org, (609) 396-1511, ext. 104, pleasantly surprised to see even in facebook.com/BillSanservino.

We are a newsroom of your neighbors. The Lawrence Gazette is for local people, by local people. As part of the community, the Gazette does more than just report the news—it connects businesses with their customers, organizations with their members and neighbors with one another. As such, our staff sets out to make our town a closer place by giving readers a reliable source to turn to when they want to know what’s going on in their neighborhood.

EDITOR Bill Sanservino (Ext. 104)

Community News Service 15 Princess Road, Suite K Lawrence, NJ 08648 Phone: (609) 396-1511

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Lawrence Township closed on the 5.9-acre property at Colonial Lake on July 17.

(Staff photo by Bill Sanservino.)

COLONIAL continued from Page 1 “We are extremely grateful to our grant partners that helped make this acquisition possible on behalf of our community, said Mayor James Kownacki. “Colonial Lake Park has been a treasured destination for our residents and, with this additional land, we have a great opportunity to improve the park experience and we are committed to doing so.”

The purchase will preserve the land—located at 2420 Brunswick Pike, just southwest of Colonial Lake Drive—and stop the proposed development of an extended-stay hotel on the site.

The plan to construct a three-story, 52,902-square-foot Woodspring Suites hotel was met with opposition from many Lawrence residents.

The Friends of Colonial Lake Facebook page now has more than 1,500 members, and a Change.org site garnered more than 5,300 signatures on a petition to stop the hotel project.

“The township’s closing on the Sheft property puts the finishing touch on saving Colonial Lake Park from incursion of commercial development and is great and welcome news for the people of Lawrence Township and the surrounding area,” said Jim Hooker, president of Friends of Colonial Lake.

“What we did by acquiring this particular piece of land was to basically stop it from being developed by a motel or a hotel chain, and that’s great,” said municipal manager Kevin Nerwinski in an interview with the Gazette earlier this year. “The residents really spoke out. I was very much a proponent of acquiring this piece of property to preserve the lake.”

The property has been subdivided to allow for the continued operation of Colonial Bowling & Entertainment, the township officials said in its statement. The agreement also includes the township’s right of first refusal to acquire the remaining lot should Sheft Associates decide to sell in the future.

Nerwinski said that planning for what to do with the property would begin after the closing took place. “At that point, that’s when the fun begins with the planning of its improvements, so it becomes an even more appealing destination for our residents to enjoy,” he said.

“It’s a lot of money, and to me—and our elected officials are on board with this—it would not be a prudent investment if we were to just buy the land and leave it exactly as it is,” Nerwinski said. “It’s an opportunity, once we acquire this property, to tap into other grant monies to improve it.”

The township is looking at creating a trail around the lake and building a pedestrian walk over the lake so that people can walk the trail without having to go on Route 1 to get over to the other side.

Other considerations include amenities like picnic tables that would help allow for passive recreation.

Nerwinski said that after closing, the township would start the planning process and probably have some type of “community conversations about what we intend to do.”

“There’s not going to be any disruption of land,” Nerwinski said. “There’s not going to be any building there.

It’s going to be very much preserving its natural character and hopefully improving it so more people use it.”

The purchase of the tract stopped it from being developed by a motel or hotel chain.

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LTPS continued from Page 1 adopted a resolution stating that LTPS is committed training and self-education on the issue.

“We decisively believe that Black lives matter, Black students matter, Black educators matter and Black teammates matter,” said Kasun. “We absolutely denounce racism, and we are committed to fighting against it.”

He said that the district had held a “dialogue” several days earlier with more than 120 members of staff to read several articles and watch a video. This was followed by a discussion on race and diversity and how they can grow and improve.

“We have been working for years to hire more minority staff,” Kasun added, “so our team can be more representative of the students that we serve. Hiring a minority staff is a nation-wide problem in school districts, and we are doing much better than most, but we can do better.”

He said the average for the hiring of minority teachers is 9.5 percent statewide, and the Mercer County average is 12 percent. In comparison, the hirerate for LTPS next year is 20 percent.

But overall, the candidate pool for teachers applying to the district who reported themselves as Black was only 5 percent. “That can’t stop us,” Kasun said. “We have to be more creative.”

Kasun said that the district had some initiatives in place, including partnerships with Rider and Rowan universities, to give them “pipelines

Posts by #BlackInLawrenceNJ on Facebook and Instagram. The post at left states the purpose of the initiative. At right, a former LHS student posted about an experience from 2013. to great minority candidates,” but they were all slowed down by the pandemic. *** During the public comment section of the June 10 meeting, a number of residents—many of them graduates of Lawrence High School—spoke out about their experiences in the district, stating that it must do better when it comes to racial equality.

“Your words are beautiful on paper,”

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said Nyya Toussaint of Gordon Avenue, who identified himself as a “K-12 lifer” of Lawrence Public Schools. “We have generation upon generation on this (board meeting) call who have experienced the racism and the white supremacy of this administration and the school district.”

“Though you may not have been there at that time, or you may not have been our teachers, you are still complicit, because our Black babies that we trust with you every day come home and tell us the stories,” he said.

He added that statements by school officials denouncing racism “are great, but that does not clean up the blood that has already been spilled.

The words that have been said. The actions that have been done. Until we feel in our bones that we can trust you, we will be on top of you.”

Jasmine Surti of Fieldboro Drive said she is a parent of two children in the district. She said, “the resolution and the action items that Dr. Kasun discussed are positive steps, however the district needs to do much more to solve the racial inequities in our school system... We need to look no further than our own school district to find that some systemic racism is here

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in our town too.”

She said that LTPS staff does not reflect the makeup of the population of the students. “The statements and messages are nice, but we need concrete actions and quicker progress.”

She added: “I’m also calling on this board to ensure that parents and community members have a full opportunity to participate in developing practical plans and action steps towards creating greater equity and education among our students, teachers and administrators.”

Erika Smoots, a resident of Paddock Drive, is a teacher at Ben Franklin Elementary School and a parent of a graduate and a sophomore at LHS. “I’m losing faith and feeling hopelessness in this district, and this is a district that has made me what I am, but refuses to see me and value me as a Black educator and a parent.”

She said that she and her children “have been victims of systemic racism” during a lifetime of experiences in the Lawrence Township education system, “As a student of this district, I was told by a white teacher that I would never amount to anything,” she said.

“And over the course of my children’s

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years in Lawrence, they faced favoritism on their sports teams. They’ve been called liars and cheats.”

She also said that they had been persuaded to drop honors courses by teachers and administrators who urged them to take easier classes.

“They’ve been told by guidance counselors that certain courses would be too hard for them and they would never get into their dream schools.”

She said that if members of the board had attended a recent Black solidarity march in the township, they would have found that, “virtually all Black children have experienced what my children have experienced, and some worse, in this district.”

Smoots then spoke about her experiences as a teacher. She said she has been in lunch rooms where teachers make racist comments about Black students and a lack of engagement by Black parents.

“I’ve been given classes that no one wanted, which affected my evaluations and have pushed me closer to burn out,” she said. “I’ve been denied interviews and faced conveniently changed hiring practices. I’ve been denied lateral jobs and the ability to advance in this district.

“I’ve applied for jobs in this district that I’m qualified for and have the skill set for, but I’m not considered because of cronyism and favoritism. I’m constantly overlooked, while young white gym, art and music teachers excel.”

Lawrence Road resident Adena Romeo-Ratliff, who conducted an unsuccessful bid for a seat on the school board last year, is the mother of three Black children who live in Lawrence. She said that she has sent two of her children to private schools “in order to receive an appropriate education.”

She said that there are inequities in the education of Black students in the district as evidenced by its reading and math proficiency scores, and that Black children in Lawrence are “grossly underrepresented” in gifted and talented and advanced placement classes.

Lisa Austin, an LHS graduate and

Albemarle Road resident, said it was “astounding” to her that issues of racial inequality that were discussed when she was a student are still being talked about today.

“Just listening to Erica Smoots, those same conversations were going on then and still going now,” she said. “Our kids COLD SOIL ROAD TRENTON FARMER’S MARKET are being discouraged. We were being PRINCETON, NJ SPRUCE STREET COLD SOIL ROAD TRENTON FARMER’S MARKET discouraged, and this is a real issue.”

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Offering “Porch-side” pick pick up Austin’s daughter, Shánece, also an LHS graduate, said she was the student her mother referred to.

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LTPS continued from Page 5 teacher at Ben Franklin, read a letter that she said she sent to administration in June, but did not receive a response.

“This administration must address the way some administrators treat positive disruptors—the passionate and committed employees who attempt to challenge the status quo within LTPS,” she said. “To use the words of Martin Luther King Jr., ‘A disruptor provides continuous loving confrontation aimed at improving, not destroying, an institution.’”

She said that examples, which she said were first-hand, of what a disruptor can expect to experience in the district.

“In an attempt to shame you, you may have an administrator passiveaggressively reference one of your Tweets more than once in a district equity committee. That happened this year. You may have your emails and phone calls ignored. That happened this year. You may have professional opportunities withheld, or even revoked from you. That happened this year. You may have disciplinary letters placed in your personnel file.

“You may have your class stacked with both behaviorally and academically challenged students. You may be ignored or treated with contempt or disdain. You may be told by the administration that you are opinionated and pushy. You may be overlooked for teacher leadership or administrative opportunities in spite of your qualifications. You may have professional development withheld from you.

“You may be bullied and intimidated by your assigned teacher leaders.

You may have your positive initiatives ignored or undermined. You may have your project development unfunded.

“You may be ignored when you request mentorship for your graduate internship. You may be reprimanded or humiliated publicly. And, as of this week, when students publicly request you as an advisor, you may have the opportunity usurped by administrators.”

Peter Oropeza of Branchwoood Court has two children in LTPS. He said he moved to Lawrence Township from South Texas, and has found the district to be “rather progressive for the most part,” in comparison. He said he is a psychologist and a member of the American Psychological Association’s diversity and inclusion committee.

“You can’t be color blind, you have to be color conscious,” he said. “We all come with our own history and backgrounds, and I think it’s important that the teachers and the staff, including the board get educated.”

He pointed out that the school board’s membership—one Black woman, two caucasian men and six caucasian women—does not reflect the diversity of the community.

“If you look critically at yourselves, you’re not representative of our community—not even of my block here in Lawrenceville,” he said. ***

The Lawrence School Board is not the only place that members of the community have demanded racial justice. Community members have created a group called #BlackInLawrenceNJ. The group has a website at blmlawrencenj.wixsite.com/ourdemands/actnow and is also on Instagram and Facebook.

A petition on the site states: “Due to the top-down and bottom-up tactics practiced in the United States, white supremacy and anti-Blackness have found their place in Lawrence Township, N.J., and made their bed in Lawrence Township Public Schools… We need revolutionary change in our town.”

The petition, which has been signed by more than 1,100 people, is officially endorsed by Fred Vereen, Jr., Verlina Reynolds-Jackson (Jackson is an assemblywoman and does not live in Lawrence), Shánece Austin, Renard Smoots, Erika Smoots, Nyya Toussaint, Roxanna Flores Toussaint, Tonia Moore​, Lisa Austin, Romy Toussaint, Jennifer Minaya, Kyla Allen​and Jaggar DeMarco.

The petition was presented to the School Board at its July 9 meeting by Nyya Toussaint. The petition makes a number of demands of the district, including: 1. Remove any law enforcement assigned to be present on a regular basis in Lawrence Township Public Schools by Jan. 1, 2021; 2. Establish a School Climate and Culture Leadership Team that directly responds to misbehavior by Jan. 1, 2021; 3. Eradicate detentions, in-school suspension, out-of-school suspension, involuntary expulsion by Sept. 1; 4. Take ownership of all #BlackInLawrenceNJ stories pertaining to the LTPS; 5. Hire a diversity, inclusion and equity coach by Jan. 1, 2021; 6. Institute school-day group therapy by Sept. 1.

7. Institute a PreK-12 humanities curriculum and courses that teach and center on Black experiences by Sept. 1.

8. Establish faculty-lead equity teams in each building that are predominantly made up of teachers who are BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color) and other minorities

by Sept. 1.

9. Conduct an audit of current hiring practices and execute the hiring of Black staff by Jan. 1, 2021; 10. Embrace and actively support district-wide Black student organizations led by Black students by Sept. 1; and 11. Embrace and actively support a distinct-wide minority teacher organization led by Black professional staff

by Sept. 1.

The #BlackInLawrenceNJ site solicits stories about “anti-Blackness in Lawrence Township’s neighborhoods, school district, businesses and police department” and then posts them anonymously. “We seek to disrupt Lawrence’s false narratives of being progressive, anti-racist and strong,” states the group.

Many of the posts feature unsub-

Lawrence Township residents’ experiences with racism in Lawrence township are told in posts by #BlackInLawrenceNJ on Facebook and Instagram. stantiated allegations against educators or administrators in the school district. The names of the people cited in the posts are not being reported by the Gazette as a matter of policy.

One poster said that in 2014, “A fellow classmate thought it was funny to post a picture of me and my best friend with ropes tied around our necks to portray the image of us being lynched. When I vocalized my opinion, our math teacher did not want to look or believe that this was what was in the photo.”

A former LTPS student reported being spit on in fi fth grade in 2004 by a white student on the school bus and called a “n***a” and a “stupid b***h.”

Another resident reported going to a local business for a haircut and being turned away after being told to go somewhere else because they “don’t cut Black hair.”

One story talks about a 2011 incident where the poster’s son, a student

at Eldridge Park School, scored a perfect 300 on the NJASK test but was placed in a remedial math class when he went to Lawrence Intermediate School.

The parent spoke with school officials regarding the situation and provided his report card and test scores.

“When I went to the meeting I was given some BS about the multiple measures they used. Then I pulled out the binder with my son’s information.” The parent was then told that a mistake had been made. The student transferred to an independent school.

Another poster said that in 2013 he/ she was one of the few Black people taking AP calculus at the time. “We had all gotten our report cards after midterms, which also included recommendations for next year’s classes.

Although I had met the requirements, I wasn’t recommended to continue in AP.” A white classmate with a lower average was recommended.

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In an incident reported to have happened in 2002, the poster said that his/ her son was a student at Lawrenceville Elementary School who was driven to and from school. “He was outside waiting for me and his teacher assumed because he was Black, he lived in Eggerts Crossing Village and forced my crying son on the bus… LES played down the incident like it could happen to anyone.” *** In response to the community’s concerns, the Lawrence School Board has made several moves, including the hiring of consultants to review the district’s policies.

The district retained consultant Kenneth King to review the LTPS’ hiring practices. Kasun said that King will work with the district’s leadership team in August to help strengthen the district’s hiring practices, systems and Contact BILL SANSERVINO: bill@comconsistency of approach. munitynews.org, (609) 396-1511, ext. 104, King, a graduate of Rider University, facebook.com/BillSanservino.

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is retired from the East Orange School District, where he served as assistant superintendent for human resource service. Since his retirement in September 2009 King has worked as an educational consultant and teaches a cohort of doctoral students at Kean University and the College of Saint Elizabeth.

The district has also hired consultants Val Brown and Rebekah Anne Cordova to provide professional development to work with teacher leaders and administrators regarding equity, diversity and preventing racism.

Kasun said the two are “national leaders” in the area.

They will also develop, plan and design professional development that will be delivered to all members of staff when schools open in September, Kasun said.

Kasun said there are plans to start an equity committee in every building.

“They will come out and share their work, because that’s where they roll up the sleeves and get the work done.”

He said they also need to find a “mechanism” so that the community can hear more about the efforts of LTPS’ “amazing staff.”

The district will also create an equity team at each school, Kasun said, and has reached out to the state Department of Justice’s Community Relation Services Division for help designing a community event “that includes opportunities to listen, share and grow.”

The district has entered into an agreement with Panorama Education of Boston, Massachusetts, to help conduct a climate audit of its students in the fall. “This will be a benchmark and will be able to measure areas of strength and areas to be improved,” Kausn said. “It will give us a baseline of whether our efforts through the year will improve the feelings of equity, inclusion and anti-racism.”

Mark Stefanie Dawn John Mercer CountyTop Producers: $25M in 2019 Broker & Sales Associates Licensed in NJ & PA August 2020 | Lawrence Gazette7

You’re a CUSTOMER,” Vaughn wrote. tax base.”

Grodd Schragger concluded by sayTWW serves 225,000 people in Trenton, Ewing and parts of Hamilton, ing the suburban towns want further Hopewell Township and Lawrence. measures taken in addition to whatThe four suburban municipalities do ever DEP has proposed, including not own any part of the water system. forcing Trenton to sell all of its water The four townships previously infrastructure to a private entity, putsought legal action against TWW in ting the utility under the oversight of 2008, alleging then that Trenton raised the state Board of Public Utilities or rates for suburban customers and providing the four suburbs ownership and proportional conthen improperly transtrol over TWW. Each of ferred funds intended to these measures would improve the water infrawrest control off TWW structure elsewhere to from Trenton, with only balance the budget. The the final option leavparties settled the mating the city a minority ter in December 2012, stake. More than 60% with Trenton agreeing of TWW’s service area to regularly provide the is outside the City of suburban towns a range Trenton. of financial information.

Gusciora said, in his In Grodd Schragger’s July 10 statement, he letter, Hamilton Townwould resist any attempt ship contends that TWW to force a sale of TWW, and the city have failed regardless of who to uphold their end of Lavenberg attempts it. the settlement, and says “First and foremost, that Trenton has continued to move money paid by suburban TWW belongs to the people of Trenratepayers into other areas of the city ton,” Gusciora said. “It is a highly valuable asset owned by the city. TWW is budget. “[The suburban towns] have abso- ours to modernize. It is ours to invest lutely no oversight or ownership inter- in. It is ours to use as a job-creation est in the water system, including engine for our students and residents. those pipes that deliver water directly It is ours to celebrate and to protect.”

Gusciora said the same in a June to their residents,” Grodd Schragger wrote. “This amounts to taxation with- interview with Community News, out representation and an impermis- vowing to fight any effort to take consible subsidy of the City of Trenton’s trol of TWW away from the city. The prospect of selling and privatizing the water utility has long been unpopular with Trenton voters.

In much the same way, leaders in the TWW service area have kept a consistent message for weeks.

In a June 19 post on his blog, Lawrence Township manager Kevin Nerwinski said he would be attending a meeting with representatives Over two-thirds of all deaths associated with from Ewing, Hamilton and Hopewell underage drinking are NOT on the roadways.

Township the following week to dis*CDC cuss whether the towns wanted to intercede.

Hamilton Mayor Jeff Martin came out even stronger in a May 29 statement, saying “We will join, and work with, DEP in its legal action and will not stop fighting until we are satisfied that all necessary steps are taken.”

TWW continued from Page 1

by Gusciora were reducing the utility’s vacancy rate to 5%, launching a program to replace lead service lines in the system, making repairs and improvements at TWW’s water filtration plant and embarking on a $405-million, six-year capital improvement plan.

However, Gusciora also acknowledged in his statement that his efforts with TWW have been “despite an uphill battle with City Council.” It was the council’s decision to reject $83 million in improvement projects at TWW in May that spurred the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and Attorney General’s Office to file suit against TWW and the City of Trenton June 15. DEP, in a statement announcing the suit, cited “a pattern of inaction” in city government.

Robin Vaughn—a member of Trenton City Council who has regularly voted against increased spending at TWW—posted her own response to the suburban towns’ motion on Facebook July 10. She accused DEP and its lawyers of instigating a “money grab” at taxpayers’ expense, and said TWW customers seeking help from DEP should instead direct any complaints about the water utility to the state Board of Public Utilities. The suburban towns “have absolutely no business” working with DEP against TWW, she said.

“Hamilton, Ewing, Lawrence, Hopewell take two seats. Sit down.

TAKING AWAY THE KEYS DOESN’T TAKE AWAY THE RISKS…

New interim director hired for TWW

EDUCATE. ENGAGE. EMPOWER. www.mercercouncil.org

8  Lawrence Gazette | August 2020

For the fourth time in less than a year, Trenton Water Works has a new person in charge.

The City of Trenton announced July 8 that Mark Lavenberg has been appointed acting director of the city’s Department of Water and Sewer, which operates TWW. A search committee formed to review potential candidates selected Lavenberg, who will start his new role on Aug. 3.

Lavenberg, 57, has 32 years of experience in the water industry. He most recently served as TWW’s licensed operator, in 2019, as part of a contract the city had with Operations Services, Inc. TWW’s new acting director began

his career mostly in South Jersey, working for water and sewer facilities in Bridgeton, Palmyra, Moorestown, Wrightstown, Pemberton and Mount Holly. In June 2015, the City of New Brunswick hired Lavenberg to provide stability to its own troubled water department. Prior to Lavenberg’s hiring, New Brunswick’s water utility had gone through three directors in a year—including one demoted for using a racial slur—and was dealing with a scandal after being caught falsifying water quality records, according to New Brunswick Today.

Lavenberg served in New Brunswick for three years before leaving to take a job at the City of Newark’s water utility. Newark, at the time, had been in the midst of its own crisis, making national headlines for having dangerously high levels of lead in its drinking water.

Another challenge awaits him.

Lavenberg joins TWW at a turbulent time in the 151-year-old water utility’s history, with the state Department of Environmental Protection having filed suit against TWW in June for “a pattern of inaction” within Trenton’s government and three of the towns in TWW’s suburban service area filing a motion in July to join the suit. As part of the motion, the lawyers for Ewing Township, Hamilton Township and Lawrence Township requested control of TWW be taken away from the City of Trenton—with either the state, a private entity or even the townships themselves stepping in.

TWW recently launched a 6-year, $405 million capital improvement plan for its system, a plan that is comprehensive but requires Trenton council’s cooperation in order to get funding.

Trenton council approved the needed funds to deal with TWW’s own lead pipe problem, but has battled with Mayor Reed Gusciora and his administration on other spending measures.

TWW has not had a permanent director since September 2019. Former West Windsor Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh, a former DEP director, served in the role from July 2018 until September 2019. He quit suddenly last year, allegedly out of frustration with a lack of support from Trenton’s council.

Steve Picco replaced Hsueh that same month as interim director, picking up where his predecessor left off.

Picco formulated the ambitious capital improvement plan, and increased staffing levels at TWW, another chronic issue at the utility that had drawn DEP’s attention.

Council forced Picco out of the job after just three months, refusing to reappoint him at its Dec. 19, 2019 meeting. TWW chief engineer David Smith took Picco’s place, serving as interim director.

Starting in August, it’s Lavenberg’s turn.

Contact ROB ANTHES: ranthes@communitynews.org, (609) 396-1511, ext. 124, facebook.com/robanthes, twitter.com/ robanthes.

HEALTH @capitalhealthnj

AUGUST 2020

HEADLINES

B I - M O N T H LY N E W S F R O M C A P I TA L H E A LT H

KEEPING YOU SAFE to Get the Care You Need

Wondering if the time is right to reschedule that doctor’s appointment, lab or imaging test or hospital procedure?

Capital Health is ready to see you again.

All of our hospital and outpatient care locations are open and ready to accept appointments or reschedule any visits you may have canceled or postponed over the past few months. If you suspect you are having a medical emergency like a heart attack or stroke, call 9-1-1 immediately.

HERE ARE SOME OF THE STEPS WE ARE TAKING TO KEEP EVERYONE SAFE DURING THESE UNCERTAIN TIMES: Everyone must wear a mask when inside our locations.

Everyone must maintain appropriate social distancing. Signage has been placed at all locations to help guide this. Public seating areas have been rearranged. Only four people are permitted per elevator, spaced out to the corners.

Staff regularly clean common areas and high-touch surfaces with hospital-approved disinfectant cleansers.

Patient care areas are cleaned between patients using disinfectant cleansers and portable ultraviolet lights.

All COVID-19 positive inpatients are cared for in one area. Non-positive inpatients are cared for in completely separate areas and are never in the same units as COVID-19 positive inpatients.

Everyone entering our locations is required to have their temperature taken. Some locations use zero contact thermal monitors that take your temperature from a greater distance than the standard temporal thermometer. Anyone with a temperature equal to or greater than 100° F is not allowed to enter.

Visitors are currently restricted. Only one visitor at a time is allowed for each patient in the facility.

Multiple visitors may not enter and gather in lobby or waiting areas. The visitor must wear a mask and clean hands when entering and exiting the patient room. Visitors are strongly encouraged to remain in the room and not travel throughout the facility. Visitors are not permitted in the designated COVID-19 units at Capital Health Regional Medical Center (video visits with these patients can be arranged through our patient advocates).

FOR A FULL LIST OF WAYS WE ARE KEEPING PATIENTS SAFE, VISIT CAPITALHEALTH.ORG. When you’re ready to get back to health, rest assured that Capital Health is ready for you.

Health Headlines by Capital Health | Lawrence Gazette9

NEW LOCATION FOR CAPITAL HEALTH PRIMARY CARE – BORDENTOWN Capital Health Primary Care – Bordentown, part of Capital Health Medical Group and a trusted provider of pediatric, adult, and geriatric care in Burlington County, New Jersey, has moved to a new location at 100 K Johnson Boulevard N., Suite 101, Bordentown, New Jersey 08505 (on the northbound side of Route 130, across from the Team 85 Fitness & Wellness Center).

Although the office is new, patients receive care from the same board certified physicians they know and trust, including Drs. Jamie Flynn, Janey Hughes, Maria Lugo, Joshua Mleczko, and Natalie Redziniak, as well as nurse practitioner Stephanie Shapiro.

They are all available for appointments to provide check-ups, sick visits and preventive care for children and adults (including care that’s specific for women and older adults).

“Now more than ever, finding a health care provider that inspires confidence and trust is important for anyone who needs care,” said DR. MARIA LUGO, lead physician at Capital Health Primary Care – Bordentown. “We take our role in the community very seriously, and while it’s exciting to be in a brand new building, it’s important for our patients

and anyone looking for a primary care provider to know that the move reaffirms our commitment to safe, convenient care.”

Capital Health Primary Care offices have put into place safety measures to make in-person office visits safer. All individuals are required to wear face masks at our facilities and must have their temperatures taken prior to entering the facility. If they have been exposed to COVID-19 in the last 14 days or have a temperature equal or greater to 100° F, they will not be permitted in the office and will instead be asked to schedule a video visit. Our offices are cleaned with hospital-approved disinfectant on a regular basis, and seating areas have been rearranged to support social distancing. Patients are also encouraged to enter the facilities by themselves whenever feasible or schedule video visit appointments over secure connections on their computers or mobile devices from home.

Office hours at the new Capital Health Primary Care – Bordentown location are Monday and Tuesday ( 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.) and Wednesday, Thursday, Friday (8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.). To make an appointment, call 609.298.2005 or learn more by visiting capitalhealth.org/bordentown.

Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell Receives THIRD CONSECUTIVE CHEST PAIN CENTER ACCREDITATION When you or someone you know is having a heart attack, getting the appropriate treatment in a timely manner greatly increases the likelihood of a better outcome. Through its commitment to an evidence-based, protocoldriven approach to care that can reduce the time to treatment during the critical early stages of a heart attack, Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell has earned accreditation as a Chest Pain Center with PCI (Percutaneous Coronary Intervention) from the American College of Cardiology (ACC) for the third consecutive time.

care and improve heart health by ensuring that participating health care organizations like Capital Health meet systemic quality-of-care measures and implement necessary protocols, processes, and systems in order to earn accreditation.

“Now, more than ever, it’s important for the community we serve to know that when they need us most, we are here and ready to provide care safely and efficiently,” said Al Maghazehe, president and CEO of Capital Health. “In addition to reaffirming our role as a leader in providing state-of-the-art care for cardiac emergencies, this shows our community that we remain up to date with the latest best practices for managing heart attacks with increased speed and efficiency, as well as providing education about the early signs of heart attack, all of which leads to better outcomes for our patients.” The goal of the ACC and its Chest Pain Center Accreditation program is to transform cardiovascular

If you think you or someone you know is having a heart attack, calling 9-1-1 should be your first step to talk with a trained dispatcher and have an ambulance sent to your location as quickly as possible. Treatment can begin on site when the ambulance arrives, which saves valuable time when every second counts toward a better outcome.

10Lawrence Gazette | Health Headlines by Capital Health

“Earning a third consecutive accreditation from the ACC is a great accomplishment and a testament to the unwavering dedication of our entire team,” said Dr. Lara Samson, medical director of Capital Health’s Chest Pain Center. “Implementing rigorous ACC guidelines to provide our patients with the highest quality emergency cardiac care requires a concerted effort and is only possible thanks to the hard work of our experienced doctors, nurses, and other dedicated professionals.”

To learn more about Capital Health’s Chest Pain Center, visit capitalchestpain.org.

Call 9-1-1 immediately if you or someone you know is experiencing the signs and symptoms of a heart attack.

CAPITAL HEALTH OPENS NEW PRIMARY CARE OFFICE IN HAMILTON Capital Health Medical Group, Capital Health’s network of more than 400 physicians and other providers who offer primary and specialty care, has opened Capital Health Primary Care – Nottingham, a new primary care office conveniently located at 1700 Nottingham Way, Hamilton, New Jersey 08619.

The new office features three board certified doctors who are available for appointments to provide check-ups, sick visits and preventive care for children and adults (including care that’s specific for women and older adults). This office accepts most insurances and was previously located at 1235 WhitehorseMercerville Road in Hamilton.

“If you don’t already have a primary care doctor, our office offers daytime and evening appointment hours for routine check-ups and follow-up visits, as well as sick visits for when you’re not feeling well,” said DR. NAILA WASTI, a board certified internist and lead physician at Capital Health Primary Care – Nottingham. Dr. Wasti is

joined by Dr. Rubina Raza, a board certified internist, and Dr. Catherine Cicco, a board certified family medicine physician with experience in providing care for adolescents and adults, including women’s health, men’s health, and geriatric health.

In July, Nurse Practitioners Kathleen Bornhoeft and Neida Hernandez-Lewis joined the practice.

Like all Capital Health Medical Group primary care offices, Capital Health Primary Care – Nottingham offers video visits, in addition to office visits, to safely and conveniently provide patients with the most appropriate care. Office hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday (8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) and Wednesday (11 a.m. to 7 p.m.).

To make an appointment at Capital Health Primary Care – Nottingham, call 609.303.4870 or learn more by visiting capitalhealth.org/nottingham.

INTRODUCING CAPITAL HEALTHY LIVING A New Idea in Senior Living If home is where the heart is, then home is where independent seniors would rather be.

Capital Healthy Living is a new program starting August 10 designed to provide the services that empower seniors to stay independent and in their own homes, for longer. From transportation to scheduling assistance with Capital Health primary and specialty care providers including video visits, engagement and coaching, Capital Healthy Living is available every step of the way.

“Certainly with the COVID-19 crisis, one thing it has taught us is how important it is to have a highly qualified health care team around you, whether for routine care or more acute needs,” said David Dafilou, vice president and chief administrative officer of Clinically Integrated Network at Capital Health. “With two, top-rated health care facilities in our community, more than 40 outpatient locations and more than 400 primary and specialty care physicians, Capital Health has all of the resources to provide seniors with the health care support they need, right here where they live.”

CAPITAL HEALTHY LIVING OFFERS: … EASIER ACCESS TO CARE Including a dedicated life care manager (LCM) who assists in scheduling all Capital Health Medical Group physician appointments and helps develop a customized healthy living plan tailored to meet individual needs and goals. … TELEHEALTH SUPPORT AND SCHEDULING Guidance and assistance in scheduling secure telehealth video visits to safely and conveniently provide you with the care you need from home. … TRANSPORTATION Scheduled via UBER Health or Capital Livery through your LCM, the program includes costs for transportation to all Capital Health Medical Group appointments and Capital Health hospital services, as well as two non-medical roundtrips per month (within 15 miles of your residence) and up to four roundtrips per month to a Capital Health hosted social event or wellness class.

… ENGAGEMENT AND COACHING One-on-one discussions with your LCM on your medical care, including: • Help with chronic disease management • LCM-shared updates with your primary care physician for more coordinated care • Post-discharge and Emergency Room follow up with your LCM to better understand your plan of care and next steps • Availability of LCM to family members or caregivers (upon your approval) … SOCIAL AND WELLNESS OPPORTUNITIES • Capital Health hosted social event or wellness/exercise class (four per month) • Free training session with a Capital Health trainer at the Capital Health Wellness Center to develop a customized exercise regimen (one per year) • Linkage to community events • Social media and newsletter • Emotional and cognitive support Capital Healthy Living is a new program, with plans to provide non-medical offerings and additional services specifically selected to help make living at home easier and more convenient. All customized, individualized and coordinated by a dedicated Capital Health Life Care Manager. Capital Healthy Living is currently being offered as a pilot program for just $50 a month.

For a limited time, a free two-month trial period is being offered to allow seniors to try this program risk-free.

To learn more, call 609.537.7087, email healthyliving@capitalhealth.org or visit www.capitalhealth.org/capitalhealthyliving.

Health Headlines by Capital Health | Lawrence Gazette11

HAMILTON STUDENT EDUCATES TEACHERS ABOUT CONCUSSIONS

that I had recovered nicely and could return to school and sports without restrictions.”

Helping children return to play as athletes is important, but their success in school is Dr. Matarese’s top priority. He provides workshops for teachers and other school staff so they can gain a better understanding of concussions and make accommodations that allow students to return to learn. Dr. Matarese was so impressed

by Joseph’s commitment to recovery that he invited his young patient to help with a program for faculty and staff at a Mercer County school.

“This was the first time that I had a middle school student assist me with a presentation for teachers, and Joseph was very motivated to teach others about the need to prevent repeat injuries and permanent brain damage,” said Dr. Matarese. “Learning about concussion from a student’s perspective was particularly powerful, and we were fortunate to have Joseph share his experience.”

To learn more about Capital Health’s Concussion Program, part of the Capital Institute for Neurosciences, visit capitalneuro.org. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Matarese, call 609.537.7300.

Joseph DiClaudio assists Dr. Emil Matarese at a concussion presentation for teachers prior to COVID-19 school closures.

Like many children his age, 12-year-old Joseph DiClaudio of Hamilton, New Jersey enjoys the competition that comes with sports, especially when he’s representing his school on the basketball court. Joseph thrives when he’s part of a team, but after being injured during a game on January 27, 2019, he feared that his season would be cut short.

“The first symptoms that I had were all over head pain and some vision problems,” said Joseph. “I was taken to the ER at Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell, where they diagnosed me with having a concussion and referred me to Dr. Matarese for follow up.”

Bruises and scrapes are easy to spot, but concussions are unseen injuries that require special care and management to avoid potential long-term consequences. Getting an accurate diagnosis as soon as possible is a crucial first step on the road to recovery. Fortunately for Joseph, Dr. Emil Matarese would be guiding him the rest of the way.

Dr. Matarese is director of the Concussion Program at Capital Health’s Capital Institute for Neurosciences and a regional leader in treating concussions and other traumatic brain injuries. According to Joseph, Dr. Matarese helped everyone understand what they were dealing with the day after his injury.

“Dr. Matarese is very knowledgeable and caring,” said Joseph. “He did a great job explaining my symptoms, like the change in my eye movement and my headaches. My grandfather, who went to the office with me and my mother, was very impressed!”

Impaired eye movement is common after concussions and makes reading or focusing on a computer screen for extended periods of time difficult for the patient. Rest for the body and the brain is the best course of action for recovery. To many adults, keeping all activity to a minimum may sound like a nice break, but brain rest (which includes no texting, no computers or video games, and minimal TV) can be a real challenge for today’s constantly connected young people. “Not resting can make matters worse and extend the time it takes to recover from the concussion,” Dr. Matarese warns.

“Dr. Matarese gave me a note for school excusing me from class work, tests, homework, and gym class,” said Joseph. “Along with resting my eyes as much as possible to allow my brain to heal, he gave my mother massage exercises to do on my neck to help relieve my headaches. At my appointment the next week, he said 12Lawrence Gazette | Health Headlines by Capital Health

CONCUSSION FACTS What is a CONCUSSION? A concussion is an injury to the brain. A concussion can be from a direct hit to the head or from getting checked or tackled.

Symptoms of a concussion may appear immediately or may not appear for several hours or even days. It’s important not to hide the fact that you are experiencing symptoms of a concussion, and to tell your coach immediately.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS of a Concussion SIGNS ARE THINGS OTHERS SEE:

… Appears confused or dazed … Can’t recall things prior to being injured … Can’t recall things after being injured … Loss of balance or coordination … Loss of consciousness — no matter how long … Seems irritable or other personality changes … Forgets routine plays or position on the field

SYMPTOMS ARE THINGS YOU FEEL: … Headache … Dizziness … Sick to your stomach and/or vomiting … Feeling foggy or confused

… Sensitivity to light or noise … Feeling sluggish or tired … Problems concentrating … Feeling “off” or “don’t feel right”

HAVING ONLY ONE SYMPTOM MAY INDICATE YOU HAVE A CONCUSSION FOR EMERGENCY CARE, Capital Health offers a dedicated Pediatric Emergency Department at Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell.

Neurology and neuropsychology experts from the Capital Institute for Neurosciences can provide thorough evaluation, follow-up, and treatment for teens and adults at our Hopewell and Langhorne locations.

Is it safe to go to the doctor?

DR. SARA ALI ASK THE DOCTOR

Concerned about your health?

Experts from Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton are ready to answer readers’ questions. Send your questions to askthedoc@rwjbh.org.

Over the past few months, you may have chosen to delay seeking care and may still be feeling hesitant to visit the doctor. We want to assure you that with stringent safety measures in place, RWJBarnabas Health Medical Group has taken every precaution to welcome you back, safely. Caring for your health and keeping you safe is our highest priority.

Whether you have a minor health concern or are dealing with a chronic condition such as high blood pressure or diabetes, do not delay in scheduling your annual exam to keep the lines of communication open with your provider.

Meeting with your primary care physician once a year for an annual exam is an important step that keeps you aware of your body’s current condition and what you can do in the future to avoid health risks. Since this is a general health visit, this is your chance to discuss any medical questions or concerns you have with your doctor.

What is the goal of a wellness visit or annual exam?

The goal of a wellness visit is health maintenance as well as preventative tests, vaccinations or lab work that you may need based on your history. The exam also gives you a chance to talk to your provider about any ongoing pain or symptoms that you’re experiencing

or any other health concerns that you might have.

What can I expect during the visit?

During the visit, let your physician know about any changes you’ve experienced in the past year, and make sure the check your blood pressure, cholesterol, body mass index (BMI) and other “numbers” that are important for your overall health and wellness.

“By getting the right health services, screenings, and treatments, you’re taking steps that help your chances for living a longer, healthier life,” says Sara Ali, MD with Primary Care Express, an RWJBarnabas Health Medical Group provider, affiliated with RWJ University Hospital Hamilton.

Is it safe to go into a doctor’s office with the COVID-19 pandemic?

During this unprecedented time, your health and safety remains our highest concern. In light of the COVID-19 health epidemic, RWJBarnabas Health Medical Group has established protocols to ensure the safety and well-being of our patients, providers and staff. Please inquire about our safety practices when making an appointment. For a full list of the safety precautions in place, visit rwjbh.org/ welcomeback.

How can I make an appointment?

For more information or to make an appointment with Dr. Ali, please call (609) 245-7430 or by visiting healthconnect.rwjbh.org/hcweb to book an appointment online. Our offices offer both telemedicine and in person visits, depending on your needs. RWJBarnabas Health Medical Group providers accept most major insurances.

Don’t delay your annual health exam.

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August 2020 | Lawrence Gazette13

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Volunteers provide an invaluable service to the town KEVIN NERWINSKI FROM THE MANAGER’S DESK

DISCLAIMER: This article is intended to shine a light on Lawrence Township’s volunteer firefighters. It is not steeped in facts and data, and will most likely disappoint some people because it omitted certain information (about people, organizations, etc.) that a reader may feel should have been included in it. For these reasons, my apology is offered even before you read it! It’s my hope that the readers accept this article for how it was intended and not for what it omits. *** “What is the essence of life? To serve others and to do good.”—Aristotle (2300 years ago).

I considered several topics for this month’s column, but landed on one that highlights incredibly important people in our community, and discusses one of our most difficult challenges we face as a community.

Volunteering is defined as “the policy or practice of giving one’s time or talents for charitable, educational or other worthwhile activities, especially in one’s community.”

When you add “willing to leave your home and family at all hours of the night and early morning at a moment’s notice and risk your life to save others,” that would be the definition of a volunteer firefighter.

In present day all the way back to the founding of our township in 1697, we have been blessed with residents who have given their time, effort and talents to our community in a variety of ways.

These people are difference makers. They are the secret ingredient that makes Lawrence a special place to live. You know who you are, and you are appreciated. But, to be honest, the volunteer firefighter is the one community volunteer that rises above all others and serves the community day in and day out without fanfare or with the appreciation they truly deserve.

We have three volunteer fire companies in our town: Slackwood Fire Company (Station #21) (slackwoodfirecompany.org) was founded on Nov. 1, 1906; Lawrence Road Fire Company (Station #22) (lawrenceroadfire.com) was founded on May 1, 1914; and Lawrenceville Fire Company (lawrencevillefire.org) was founded on May 3, 1915.

For more than 100 years now, firefighters from each of these companies (mostly residents) have been doing the “work”(without pay) responding to calls for service providing assistance and risking personal safety, at times, for us.

In current times, our town does have career firefighters (i.e. paid) that provide protection to us Monday through Friday for the day-time shift,

and the volunteers cover the evening and early morning hours during the week and all day and night on weekends.

Before I took over as municipal manager, I sat down with my predecessor (Richard Krawczun) and discussed some of the challenges I would be facing. He told me that my number one challenge will be providing effective fire service to the community with a combination of a career firefighters and our volunteer fire companies.

Our town (just like many others throughout the country) is experiencing a significant decrease in the number of volunteer firefighters. Simply put, the new generation of young men and women no longer seek to serve their community in this way (for reasons we can all debate at some other time) and, as a result, those that still meet the calling to serve are asked to give more. And the decreasing numbers present concerns that persist and must be substantively addressed.

To say that our volunteer fire companies are a community “asset” is an understatement I cannot adequately stress enough. Crunching the numbers, I asked our CFO (Peter Kiriakatis) to estimate for me what it would cost our taxpayers if we had to transition from our current 1/3 career 2/3 volunteer shift coverage to completely career firefighters.

He told me that it would be somewhere in the range of $2.5 million to start and it would only grow from there. Let’s take that number back for the past 20 years. Can you imagine how much these volunteer fire companies have saved our town financially?

In a post a while back, I set forth a list of all of the services that a resident taxpayer receives from our municipal government to show how much one actually receives for the amount you pay in MUNICIPAL taxes (not school tax or county tax).

I included in the services, 24 hour fire protection. Someone responded and challenged my list by saying that she thought fire protection was by volunteers, and that she had no idea that fire service was a part of our

municipal budget.

Well, of course it is. Our town owns and maintains the fire company buildings, the fire apparatus, the equipment used by all of our firefighters, and pays for their training. But thankfully, the cost to our taxpayers is greatly reduced by the existence of our volunteer companies.

Since I took over as municipal manager, I have made clear to all that I firmly support and respect our volunteer fire companies and firefighters.

With the green light from our elected officials, I have taken a variety of steps that show this support in the hope that we maintain and can grow the volunteer membership, and to let them know we appreciate them always.

In addition to our recent purchase of two fire apparatus at a cost of more than $1 million, our 2019 budget dedicated $300,000 towards renovations within the fire company building that will directly benefit the membership to improve their surroundings when they are in the building and away from their families.

To give them a sense of pride and comfort. We are also starting a “payper-call” program that will provide each firefighter with a small stipend to be paid to them in June and December of each year for each call they respond to—to name a couple of things.

With the renovation money budgeted, we also hope to improve the halls for the fire companies so they can be used by our community (for a fee that goes to the fundraising efforts of the fire company) like years past.

These are the community’s buildings and we should open them to the community again to support our volunteer fire companies. The interaction between residents with our volunteers would be priceless; and maybe prompt residents to become a member.

Growing up in Lawrence, I have very fond memories of going to the fire house halls for events both charitable and private.

Who remembers the pancake

breakfasts? We can and should bring this back, and we are working on doing this with the support of our elected officials.

There may come a day when the town has to transition to a full-time career firefighting department. But that day is not today.

For now, though, we will do all we can to grow membership in our volunteer companies and we can all support them. To be candid, the volunteer membership and I have had our differences along the way over what is and isn’t “supporting them,” and I am realistic enough to know and understand that it will probably occur in the future too.

My fiduciary responsibility is to the entirety of the community and, at times, that doesn’t coincide well with the fire company’s views and objectives. But make no mistake about it, I respect each and every one of them for what they do for our community, and I will always make decisions in good faith and after careful consideration.

I encourage you to visit the websites of these fire companies and see their history and view the photos of their calls to service.

If you have an interest in becoming a member, do not hesitate to contact one of the three fire companies and arrange for meeting and visit the fire house.

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